


Demi-Angel, Demi-Demon

by littlekittykanny



Series: Maribat Pokemon AU [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Miraculous Ladybug, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Adrien is a good boy, Adrien is gay in this, Gaydrien has been decided, Mari and Adrien are just friends here, Multi, but Jon thinks he's cute anyway, don't like don't read plz, he's just socially stupid, hypothermia's dangerous kids, mentions of near death situations, they come in later btw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2020-10-18 22:04:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20646392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlekittykanny/pseuds/littlekittykanny
Summary: Pokemon AU/Cross-over between Miraculous Ladybug and Batman!'A small Woobat, recently hatched, was the newest member to his pokemon team. The Woobat's egg had been a gift from Jason as a joke present for his birthday. Jason had refused to tell him what was inside it, insisting he had to wait until it hatched.When it did, Jason laughed at Damian’s face when he saw that the pokemon that came from it was a small blue ball of fuzz with delicate black wings.'Damian never expected that small dopey-looking Woobat would lead him to the love of his life, but fate has known to be a bitch.





	1. We Just Wanted a Walk

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to sincerely thank DisorganizedKitten for helping me come up with a title, and helping me iron out some details! You're awesome! This pairing is also based off of ozmav's original crossover on Tumblr!

The day Damian Wayne met his Angel was one of the single most stressful days of his life.

Bruce had brought him and his brothers to Snowbelle City to meet with the gym leader, Wulfric. His father and Wulfric were discussing something to do with new additions to the gym as well as some equipment Wulfric wanted Bruce to provide the Pokemon Center. His best friend Jon was supposed to meet him there, but ended up getting stuck in another town. This left Damian completely alone (aside from his pokemon) with his annoying older brothers. Needless to say, he wasn’t pleased by the development in the slightest...although Damian would get a kick out of teasing Jon about the cute blond he was with once he got to Snowbelle.

Wulfric had encouraged his father to let Damian explore the city and see the ice type pokemon around the city, and surprisingly, Bruce had agreed to let him go...so long as Jason went with him. Both were offended, but for different reasons. Damian did NOT need a babysitter, and Jason was about to argue that he COULD handle sitting through business meetings. Their arguments died on their lips the second Bruce stared them down and said, “Mercury.”

Mercury...Jason’s impish Hydreigon. The bothersome dragon that had to be walked like a Growlithe lest it begin to make trouble. And it would make trouble...the last time Bruce stopped Jason from walking Mercury so he could attend a board meeting, half of a secretary’s desk had been gnawed off by a very bored and upset Zweilous. After that, Bruce made sure Jason had either walked Mercury beforehand or would refuse him admittance to meetings so he could walk his pokemon.

Damian would rather die than admit it out loud, but he knew he couldn’t walk Mercury by himself. Sure, the Hydreigon would defend him and his other brothers when they were in danger, but Jason was Mercury’s trainer and favorite person. Unless he was hurt, Mercury wouldn’t accept orders from anyone but Jason.

And that was how they ended up walking around in the snow, collecting confused and concerned looks from those passing by. Damian hated the staring. Didn’t these people have anything else to do? However, there was a small part of him that couldn’t fully blame them. After all, he and his brother were quite the pair to come across, especially followed by their pokemon.

Jason naturally stood over six foot and was solidly built with sharp, piercing green eyes. His scars and biker style only added to the dangerous aura that regularly surrounded him. Mercury flying behind him didn’t help his ‘look at me wrong, and you’ll lose limbs’ image. Which made it even funnier for Damian to watch people freak out over Jason because he was fully aware that Mercury was having the time of his life being outside his pokeball, and honestly Jason was ridiculously happy to be out and walking with Mercury.

And then there was himself. While Damian wasn’t quite as tall as Jason, he had what Jason lovingly referred to as ‘resting murder face’. His own eyes had been described to him as cold and cruel, and the scowl on his face often kept people away. His pokemon were just as sharp looking, even his ‘cuter’ looking ones…well except for one member of his team...the one currently snuggled on top of his head, just under his hat. 

A small Woobat, one recently hatched, was the newest member of his pokemon team. The Woobat’s egg had been a gift from Jason as a joke present for his birthday. Jason had refused to tell him what was inside it, insisting he had to wait until it hatched. 

When it did, Jason had laughed at Damian’s face when he saw that the pokemon that came from it was a small blue ball of fuzz with delicate black wings. Despite the little bat not looking like he belonged on Damian’s team, the teen became incredibly fond of him. Which had garnered him even more stares from not only his family, but the people around him.

He was pulled from his thoughts when his Pawniard, Mahir, popped out of his pokeball. The sharp pokemon stood in front of his trainer with his arms out, just in time for a brunette haired girl to skid to a stop in front of him, arm outstretched. She looked at him with wide eyes before putting on the most pathetic face Damian had ever seen. Crocodile tears welled up in her eyes as she pouted before saying, “I’m soooooo sorry! I lost my Woobat, and there’s one on your head, so I thought that might be mine! I didn’t mean to startle you! How could I possibly make it up to you?”

Mahir snorted, rolling his eyes before looking at his trainer. Damian knew exactly what the Pawniard was thinking and was tempted to give him the okay to at least chop some of her hair off. The pair stared at the girl, unimpressed before he finally replied with, “You can leave me alone.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed for a moment before three other girls raced over to her.

“Lila! Lila! You’re Bulbasaur is over here! We found him,” a brunette with glasses shouted, gesturing to the pokemon resting in the blonde’s arms.

Jason looked Lila over once before saying, “I thought you lost a Woobat, not a Bulbasaur?”

“I lost both of them!” Lila said quickly. “Oh thanks a bunch, Alya, Rose, Mylene! I was so scared poor Bulbasaur was going to freeze!”

“Well then maybe you should take better care of your pokemon,” Damian said dismissively, waving his hand. “May we continue our walk? I must warn you, my brother’s Hydreigon is not patient, and you’re interrupting his exercise.”

Mercury let out a snort, and he and Jason moved closer to Damian. If Mahir was out in the cold, then he must think this girl is some threat. This was only backed up by Armina-Jason’s Absol- popping out of her pokeball as well. She walked over to Mahir as one of Lila’s friends started to yell.

“How could you say that! Lila is totally responsible! It’s all Marinette’s fault. If she had kept a better eye on her Dedenne, then Lila and her pokemon wouldn’t have gotten startled and separated!” glasses snapped.

Damian grimaced before replying, “Still doesn’t excuse her running up to strangers for no reason and lying to them about a pokemon going missing so she could touch theirs-”

“Lila isn’t a liar!”

“Well then Glasses, I suggest you, Pinky, Braids, and Sausage Tails here go find her Woobat,” Damian shrugged. “Because in this weather, that poor pokemon will freeze. Quit wasting time and leave.”

Lila gasped and pretended to tear up again, blubbering about how she was just trying to be nice, which set off Glasses. She whipped out a pokeball before shouting, “GO FENNEKIN! USE FLAMETHROWER!”

The fox pokemon appeared and all hell broke loose. The flamethrower had just barely missed Damian, thanks to Mahir’s quick reflexes and Armina’s attack, but Woobat hadn’t been as lucky. The poor thing tumbled out of the scorched hat, terrified and took off in a hurry.

He didn’t have time to go after his Woobat because the next thing Damian knew, that damn Lila chick had thrown her Bulbasaur into battle. It had used its vines to grab onto Armina while Mahir was slashing at every vine that came his way. Mercury decided he’d had enough after the Bulbasaur threw Armina into Jason.

At this point, Damian couldn’t tell you exactly what happened. Mahir had tackled him in order to get him out of Mercury’s way, and all Damian could really see was the back of a VERY pissed off dragon. He had to guess that the pokemon was using outrage due to the aura that had developed the pokemon’s body. Mercury sent the Bulbasaur straight off the ledge onto the path below them before turning on the Fennekin that was currently trying to set fire to Mahir. It was over rather swiftly, due to Mercury being a high level pokemon and his two opponents probably being beginner trainers with lower level pokemon.

Jason just barely managed to get a hold on Mercury which in retrospect probably saved the Fennekin’s life. Thankfully, the girls fled after that, Glasses grabbing her Fennekin. The other two blondes that had been with them fled earlier and were probably treating the Bulbasaur. As the adrenaline wore off, Damian remembered that Woobat was no longer on his head. His breath caught in his throat as he turned to look at the remains of his hat.

Woobat had been hit by the flamethrower. Woobat had been knocked out of his hat. Woobat was GONE. He’d flown off while his and Jason’s pokemon had dealt with the trainers. In an uncharacteristic panic, Damian turned to Jason before shouting, “MY WOOBAT IS GONE!”

Jason went still for only a moment before bringing out another of his pokemon...his Mightyena.

“Demon Spawn, take Bella with you. I have to calm down Mercury. Use Farah and Isra too, the more noses we have to sniff the better,” he said, eerily calm. “I’ll meet up with you when I can.”

Damian didn’t wait to hear how long Jason thought he’d take, racing down the snow-covered path.

As he left, Jason looked up at the sky anxiously. It was darkening...and from the looks of Armina’s expression as she watched Damian leave, it was going to storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokemon Teams mentioned in chapter  
\--------------------  
Damian- Mahir (Pawniard), Unnamed Woobat, Farah (Zorua), Isra (Shiny Umbreon)
> 
> Jason- Mercury (Hydreigon), Armina (Absol), Bella (Mightyena)
> 
> Lila- Unnamed Bulbasaur
> 
> Alya- Unnamed Fennekin
> 
> Marinette comes in next chapter with her team!


	2. A Walk in the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes Marinette! She's been having one hell of a week, and it's about to get worse.

The week Marinette Dupain-Cheng met the man she was going to marry was a nightmare.

First, she was completely alone in a strange town far from home.

Her travel partner, Adrien, hadn’t shown up at the pokemon center like they’d agreed when Adrien said he needed to stop for supplies. Instead, the blond had called from a town away almost four days ago, explaining that he’d gotten into trouble again and wouldn’t be there that day. Adrien had apologized, but told Marinette he’d see her in a few days.

Apparently, his Liepard- Mariel- had gotten into a spat with another pokemon at the center. The two pokemon had ended up trashing the communal area, and as punishment, both Adrien and the other trainer were forced to clean up. The only bright side was that it appeared that Adrien had made friends with the other trainer, and it was clear to Marinette that her friend was ecstatic about it.

Second, her past had come back to haunt her in the most god-awful way in the form of her ex-best friend... Alya Cesaire. With her was her ‘new BFF’, Lila Rossi...the girl who only knew how to lie. They, along with Rose and Mylene, had cornered her upon seeing her and demanded to know just what she thought she was doing in Snowbelle City. Lila had put on the water works, claiming that Marinette must have followed her to ruin her chances of battling with Adrien because the girl was jealous she couldn’t battle as well as Lila.

Of course not a damn word of that was true, and if Alya had just shut up and THOUGHT for once-! But of course, Alya just took Lila’s word and started yelling at her for being immature and petty. Never mind the fact that Marinette really didn’t like battling and was a coordinator at heart through and through. The only reason she was in Snowbelle was to cheer Adrien on as he battled Wulfric for the iceberg badge.

But there was no Adrien to try and defuse the tension.

And it had only gotten worse.

Marinette had managed to avoid them for the most part, thanks to her Dedenne. Beau had been running ahead to make sure she didn’t run into them, but of course her luck would run out. Lila had seen Beau and ordered her Bulbasaur to attack him. Beau was faster though, and after a particularly nasty thundershock, the poor Bulbasaur ran off. Which prompted another round of screaming, Lila and Alya blaming Marinette for scaring the poor thing away with her Dedenne.

Before the fight could get physical, Marinette’s starter popped out of his pokeball and stood stalwartly in front of his trainer. Her newly evolved Frogadier stared at her tormentors with a viciousness that made the girls recoil. Her Sylveon also decided to make an appearance, wrapping a delicate ribbon around Marinette’s arm. Both her pokemon refused to move until Lila and Alya had left their eyesight.

This altercation was what led Marinette to venture towards the woods and road leading into town. Her Sylveon still had her right arm wrapped tight in his ribbon, lulling Marinette into a state of calm. She smiled at him before bending over to pat him on the head.

“Thanks Ames,” she sighed quietly. “I knew I could count on you to make me feel better.”

Ames chirped back, nuzzling his trainer’s hand. He hated it when his trainer was sad. Marinette had cared for him ever since he was an egg. Her voice was the first voice he could remember. Her kind slate grey eyes and gentle smile were the first things he ever saw. When it came down to his evolution, Marinette had left it up to him to decide instead of picking it herself, despite what her former friends had suggested. She was a naturally kind person, and Ames wanted to do everything he could to make sure she was okay.

Ames shared a glance with the Frogadier on the other side of Marinette, both pokemon still concerned at the far off look on her face. The Frogadier gently nudged at her shoulder, looking at her inquisitively. He watched as his trainer adjusted her scarf absent-mindedly before giving a weak grin.

“It’s okay, Heracule,” Marinette tried to reassure her beloved starter. “Are your mittens good still? I want to make sure both of you are warm enough.”

Ames and the Frogadier, Heracule, made noises of affirmation. Upon hearing Adrien’s next gym battle was to be in Snowbelle City, Marinette had begun making her pokemon snow gear so that they could be out and enjoy the snow without getting too cold. Her pokemon were delighted and more than happy to wear their trainer’s designs.

They continued to watch their trainer, knowing she would be out of sorts for a while. Marinette always was down after seeing her ex-best friend.

  
The two girls had met when Marinette started her pokemon journey, and the pair had grown close fast. Alya wanted to be a pokemon reporter, and she had often used Marinette as a soundboard for ideas. In return, Alya would help Marinette with deciding finalizations on her contest designs. For months, it had just been the two of them, until they ran into Marinette’s childhood friends- Nino and Adrien.

Adrien had run away from his abusive, controlling father with Nino, and it had been the first time in over a year that Marinette had seen either of them. Alya and Nino had hit it off fast, leaving Marinette and Adrien to figure out what to do with themselves. The pair began talking it over, and they agreed that they would travel together for a while and give them an opportunity to explore their new relationship.

Alya and Nino had been thrilled with the idea, and the two pairs departed until about four months later. They hadn’t been alone when Marinette and Adrien met them next. There were four new girls tagging along with them- Lila, Mylene, Rose, and Juleka. Lila seemed to have everyone except for Nino and Juleka under her thumb. The two preferred to stay quiet and away from the four girls when they were gossiping.

Lila had taken an interest in Adrien, but Marinette tried to play blocker as much as she could. Lila had lied and insisted that it was because Marinette was jealous and wanted Adrien all for herself. Marinette tried to defend herself, but found herself faltering when Alya demanded her reason for stopping Lila from asking Adrien out. She said nothing other than she was certain Adrien wasn’t interested in her, and that if Alya just looked, the reporter would be able to see that Adrien was extremely uncomfortable with Lila touching him.

That fight had been the end of Alya and Marinette’s friendship. Alya had swore at Marinette, wondering how her kind, compassionate friend could turn into a heartless bitch in only a few months of traveling with a boy. Marinette had stood there and taken it, tears in her eyes.

She couldn’t just tell Alya Adrien was gay after all.

Adrien had just figured that out himself. He wasn’t ready to let other people know just yet.

Marinette refused to out her friend like that, despite the consequences. Her pokemon had forgiven the blond when he started crying over it. He’d thanked her repeatedly while profusely apologizing to Marinette about ruining her friendship with Alya. He’d even tried to fix things by telling Alya that he was gay, and that Marinette knew and was trying to help him.

Alya had just gotten even more upset, asking how Adrien could lie like that, just to protect Marinette.

From that day forward, it had just been Marinette, Adrien, and their pokemon.

Heracule and Ames were broken out of their thoughts by the gasp of their trainer. Both pokemon put themselves on alert, but weren’t prepared when Marinette took off towards a shaking bush. Both pokemon then heard what had caught their trainer’s attention.

“Wooooo wooooo, wooobat...bat bat woobat…”

Marinette pushed the bushes aside only to see the TINIEST little pokemon shivering and crying. Its wings had a few open blisters on them, clearly the result of some sort of fire attack. The little blue body was trembling, and it was squeaking weakly. Marinette felt her heart break at the sight.

“Awww, you poor little thing,” she cooed, taking off her pack.

She pulled out a super potion and gently sprayed it onto the Woobat. It perked up almost immediately, but Marinette noticed it was still shivering pretty bad. She pulled a piece of fleece out of her bag and carefully wrapped it around the Woobat. She scooped it up into her arms before murmuring, “It’s okay, little guy. I’ve got you.”

The Woobat looked up at the human holding him in her arms and decided he liked her. She smelled nice and sweet, and the two pokemon next to her told him that she was a good one. The little Woobat took their word for it, but as he became warmer and more aware, he realized something very important.

Damian was gone.

He didn’t know where Damian was.

And with that, the little Woobat began to cry.

“Oh no! What’s wrong? Does something hurt? Are you still cold?” Marinette began to panic. “Ames, can you see what’s wrong?”

The Sylveon chirped happily before addressing the little pokemon.

_“What’s wrong? We told you Marinette’s really nice. She’d probably let you stay if you asked her,”_ Ames asked the woobat.

_“Dami gone! Dami gone! Woo lost! Woo lost! Want Dami! Want in ball! Cold!”_

Ames was confused until Heracule pointed out that the Woobat couldn’t have been more than a few days old with how small it was. The Frogadier then suggested that perhaps the little pokemon had gotten attacked and separated from his trainer. The trainer could still be looking for their pokemon, so Heracule made sure to communicate that to his trainer.  
“Woobat has a trainer? Do you think they’re hurt? I mean, they had to have been attacked for Woobat to have gotten so beat up,” she muttered in distress. “We need to go look for them!”

Marinette was about to dart off, only to feel a strong hand grip her forearm.

“What, Heracule! We need to find the Woobat’s-” she stressed until her Frogadier pointed up at the sky.

The dark haired girl looked up and felt her heart drop to her stomach. The sky was growing dark, and now that Marinette thought about it, the wind had begun to pick up. She looked down at the woobat in her arms and felt her anxiety sky-rocket. What was she supposed to do?!

Should she head back to town? That would be what was best for her, and the pokemon, but what if the Woobat’s trainer was still out here? They would freeze to death! Then what would happen to the poor little thing in her arms? The Woobat was still crying out in distress in the most heart-breaking squeaks and squeals.

Ames ended up making her decision for her.

The Sylveon wrapped his feelers around her forearms and began to pull. Heracule pushed from the back, forcing Marinette to move. Both pokemon stared their trainer down before convincing her that there was nothing more she could do. If they stayed, they’d be caught in the blizzard that was coming and they’d freeze to death. The Woobat’s trainer was probably already heading towards the Pokecenter anyway!

Marinette’s grey eyes darted down once more at the pokemon in her arms. The little Woobat was looking up at her, tears dripping from his hidden eyes, making her heart ache. She opened her jacket and carefully tucked the Woobat into her jacket, trying to keep him as warm as possible.

Steeling her nerves, the girl began her way back to town just as the snow began to pick up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokemon mentioned in this chapter:  
Unnamed Woobat- (Damian's team)  
Ames- (Marinette's Sylveon)  
Heracule- (Marinette's shiny Frogadier)


	3. Tense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is still looking for his Woobat. Adrien and Jon make it to Snowbelle City. Marinette is doing her best.

Damian Wayne was not one to become overly hysterical.

He was not one to panic.

He absolutely despised the thought of even being worried.

However, Damian didn’t really give a flying fuck at this point. The Woobat he’d raised from an egg was gone. His Woobat had been hurt. His Woobat had run off, terrified and unaware of the consequences. The little thing was only a few days old. He wouldn’t know how to survive without Damian protecting and feeding him.

And worst of all, it was starting to snow.

The wind began to blow fiercely as Jason’s Mightyena led the pack, his Zorua and Umbreon following behind her. Bellatrix, Farah, and Isra were trying their best to pick up the scent, but the snow was making it increasingly difficult. Damian himself was beginning to struggle through the snow, and that only increased his anxieties.

When Farah brought their attention to the path that led into the woods, Damian swore in several languages. Of course this wasn’t going to be easy…

***************************

Adrien Agreste, on the other hand, could be known for his dramatics.

Especially if you asked his father...or his best friend.

However, he hadn’t seen his father in the better part of two years and he was planning on keeping that way. His best friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, was the cause of his dramatics at the moment, and therefore could not have backed up this claim.

The blond trainer had just made it into the Snowbelle Pokemon center when the snow began to pick up. As his green eyes scanned the area, he felt his hands begin to tremble. His Pyroar, Regis, immediately pressed against his side as his Braxien, Benoit, glared at the figures making a beeline for him. They weren’t supposed to be there. How did they know he was coming? Where was Marinette-

“Adrien! How ironic that we’d come across you!” a sickly sweet voice cooed, a brunette girl moving to latch herself onto his arm.

The green eyed boy felt himself begin to hyperventilate until he felt a strong, firm hand on his shoulder.

“Hey, Sunshine! Who’s your friend?”

Adrien felt himself melt as Lila jumped back with a shriek. A Charmeleon now stood threateningly in front of him, snarling at the girl who was now pretending to cry. He turned to look at the speaker, thanking the Gods that exist that he’d shown up just before Lila could get him.

Bright, brilliant blue eyes and a boyish grin greeted Adrien. The other boy’s messy black hair was barely contained under the cap he had on, and his red scarf was wrapped tightly around his neck. He moved himself close to Adrien, allowing the blond to lean back into him for support. Adrien pressed the side that wasn’t currently occupied by Regis against the newcomer, hoping that Lila wouldn’t touch him.

“Sunshine? Adrien, who exactly is this?” another voice came, one only slightly more welcome than Lila’s.

“Hello, Alya,” Adrien sighed, not leaving the other boy’s side. “This is my friend, Jon. We met at the Pokemon center in Couriway Town. Where is Marinette? She was supposed to be here…”

Lila then began to blubber about how Marinette had been so mean to them earlier. She told Adrien about how Marinette had her Dedenne attack her Bulbasaur, and how they’d run away towards the woods instead of battling Alya fair and square. She then told Adrien that Marinette said she’d be leaving because she hated him and was probably in the woods as they spoke.

Adrien felt his stomach turn before looking up at Jon. The other boy seemed to sense his tension and leaned over to press his forehead to Adrien's.

“Sunshine? I need you to breathe with me.”

“...she’s out there...Marinette’s out there by herself...Jon, it’s going to storm...IT’S GOING TO STORM, AND MARINETTE IS OUT THERE!”

Regis exchanged a glance with the Charmeleon before looking up at Benoit. Benoit just shrugged before standing beside the Charmeleon. The three pokemon watched as Jon tried to soothe Adrien, but with little effect. The more Adrien thought about Marinette being out in the cold by herself, the greater his anxiety became.

"She's going to freeze, Jon! She is going to die! MARINETTE IS GOING TO FREEZE, AND IT'S ALL MY FAULT!"

"Sunshine, I'm sure that's not the case at all."

"IT IS! IT IS!"

“Adrien, could your friend have left the city and gone on ahead of-”

“NO! Marinette wouldn’t do that to me unless there was an emergency back home! And she would have left a message with Nurse Joy if she had!”

“Why do you care?” Alya interjected. “I mean, Marinette’s a major brat, and your friend here seems so much nicer. Your name’s Jon, right? I’m Alya, and the girl next to me is Lila. Could you call off your Charmeleon?”

Jon felt Adrien go rigid against his side and decided to step in.

“Yeah, my name’s Jonathan Kent, but most people call me Jon. I’m from Unova, but I’m in Kalos with my mother while she’s on an assignment,” the dark haired boy said with a grin. “Hey, Krypto, could you back off a little please? I know you’re just trying to make sure we’re safe, but remember what happened in Couriway?”

Krypto’s eyes narrowed, but the Charmeleon backed away from Lila. He crossed his arms, clearly displeased. He wasn’t going to disobey, however, still feeling bad about the trouble he’d previously caused. Instead, he decided to take up the spot directly in front of both Jon and Adrien.

“There, now I don’t personally know this Marinette, so I can’t make any judgments myself. However, it looks to me you don’t care much for her. Despite your own personal feelings, Adrien seems to care about her a great deal, and you’re only stressing him out,” Jon began, still smiling ever so sweetly. “Could you please remove yourself from this area for right now? Just until Adrien calms down? You know, anxiety can really mess with the way you think, so perhaps he’ll be more open to a conversation afterwards?”

Alya looked like she wanted to argue, but was silenced by a stern look from Regis, Benoit, and Krypto. Instead, she grabbed Lila’s arm and led her away, claiming they needed to check on their pokemon anyway.

Jon took a deep breath, thanking the higher powers another fight hadn't broken out. He gently held the other boy, running his fingers through the blond's hair reassuringly, just as his mother had done for him. It wasn't until Adrien went almost limp in his arms that Jon breathed a sigh of relief.

Crisis averted for now.

*************

Marinette, on the other hand, had not been as lucky.

She could barely see a foot in front of her as the winds howled around her. The snow now reached her shins, making movement almost impossible. She had even begged and pleaded for her pokemon to get into their balls, not wanting them to freeze in the low temperatures. Especially her starter, who wasn’t exactly built to deal with such cold temperatures.

Both Heracule and Ames tried to fight her on it, but Marinette won in the end. She reasoned that if they were in their balls, then she wouldn’t have to worry about them getting separated. That would ease her mind a bit, and allow her to focus solely on getting to the Pokecenter. The pair had agreed, leaving Marinette by herself...except for the little Woobat tucked tightly into her jacket. She could barely hear him chirping and squeaking over the wind, but took comfort in the chatter of the little creature.

The more the Woobat chattered, the more Marinette was reassured that at least the pokemon would survive.

“It’s gonna be okay, Woobat! I’m going to take care of you. I’ll keep you safe,” she said, struggling to keep her focus.

It was so cold...and she was growing sluggish. Her face was beginning to feel numb, and her legs hurt, but she couldn’t stop. Marinette knew that if the sun went down before she reached the pokecenter, she and Woobat could die.

“So, you have a trainer, huh? You must be pretty new not to have a name just yet...hmm...what kind of name would you like?” she asked.

The Woobat chittered back happily at her, thankful for the attention. He didn't really care, just as long as his trainer still loved him...and names meant love if you asked Wild Pokemon. If a trainer caught and named you, it meant they wanted to bond with you...or at least according to an old Pidgeot who once had a trainer.

Marinette thought about it a little more before saying, “Demi...I think I’d call you Demi.”

She then could hear excited squeals and the Woobat snuggling closer to her chest. The girl let out a laugh before inquiring if that meant he liked the name. The Woobat continued to nuzzle her, so Marinette took that as a yes. Demi the Woobat was very happy with his name. Demi the Woobat was very happy this nice girl liked him so much.

“Okay, then Demi it is. We’re going to get through this, Demi. I promise.”

****************

Damian could swear he could hear someone above the roar of the wind. But every time he tried to call out, he could just barely see a pink blur rushing in the opposite direction. The only upside was that he was fairly certain he was heading back towards the city.

His pokemon had returned to their balls, but he didn’t have Bella’s ball. The dark haired boy was also pretty sure that even if he had, Bella would have bit him if he even asked her to go back in. Jason’s pokemon had lost their trainer once...they refused to lose anyone else if they could help it.

Bella had been guiding him back when he’d first caught the flash of pink. He thought it could be another trainer and called out to them. Which prompted the pink blurb to dart forward, towards the city. Damian had been continuing this pattern, but it was getting terribly annoying. He just wanted to ask the trainer (it wasn’t shaped like any pokemon he’d ever seen, so odds are it was another person) if they’d happened across a Woobat.

Damian shook his head. He couldn’t even think about Woobat right now. He could barely think. He was pretty sure Bella was key in holding him up at the moment. He needed to get back. He was too cold. He was going to freeze if he didn’t.

And then the pink blur that had been in front of him collapsed.

And despite all his fatigue, a new wave of panic broke over him, and Damian **ran**.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokemon mentioned in the chapter!
> 
> Bella/Bellatrix- Jason's Mightyena
> 
> Farah- Damian's Zorua  
Isra- Damian's Umbreon
> 
> Regis- Adrien's Pyroar  
Benoit- Adrien's Braxien
> 
> Krypto- Jon's Charmeleon
> 
> Demi- Damian's Woobat (currently in care of Marinette)  
Heracule- Marinette's Frogadier  
Ames- Marinette's Sylveon


	4. Panic and Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jason realizes Damian isn't back. Adrien meets Jason. Damian and Marinette may just have a fighting chance after all.

Jason Todd was not the type to panic at the drop of a hat.

Unless it involved his brothers.

Then Jason simply panicked internally.

He’d already dealt with Officer Jenny by the time the storm began to pick up. Luckily several bystanders had been able to back his story about how Mercury’s rampage began, so no charges would be pressed against them for starting a disturbance. The Hydreigon had calmly rested beside him as he had called Bruce to let him know what had happened as well. He’d finished up his story as Wulfric had begun to inform them that Bruce, Dick, and Tim would have to wait out the storm in the gym. The gym leader had claimed it was too dangerous outside for anyone to be walking anywhere.

Jason shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The storm...Damian…

The demon spawn could take care of himself, but now the blizzard had come in full force. All Jason had been able to think was that Damian should have been back by now. The little Woobat hadn’t had enough time to fly very far, right? Damian had probably already found the Woobat and was on his way back.

That was what Jason had thought about an hour ago. If Damian didn’t know up soon, blizzard or not, Jason was going to tear the city apart looking for his baby brother. He stood up and began walking towards the doors, only to be stopped by a familiar face.

“Jason!”

The man turned to see his little brother’s best friend racing towards him which wasn’t a surprise. What did surprise him was that Jon had not come to Snowbelle alone. A blond boy with anxious green eyes was trailing behind him, followed by Krypto and a few other pokemon.

“Hey, Jon. Who’s your friend?” he asked, trying to hide his own panic.

“Formal introductions later! Have you seen Damian? Where is he?”

“...I don’t know...we were attacked, and Damian’s Woobat got hit. It panicked and flew off. Damian went to look for it. He’s still out there.”

The blond boy seemed to grow paler, making Jason concerned. He watched as the blond’s breathing began to stutter, and he started to shake. Jason looked at Jon, who was now speaking softly to the blond. It only clicked when he watched Jon press his forehead against the other boy’s and timed his breathing.

Panic attack.

*****************  
Adrien felt like he couldn’t breathe.

This was just too much.

Jon had managed to calm him down after the Lila incident, saying that Marinette was probably on her way back. He explained her lateness as a side effect of the storm. He talked about his best friend, a boy named Damian, who was rough around the edges, but a really good person deep down. He continued talking about himself and his family, trying to distract Adrien from his anxiety.

It had worked, up until one of the most intimidating men he’d ever met mentioned that Jon’s best friend was out in the snow too. Then it all came rushing back to him at once, the panic flooding his body, igniting every nerve until he couldn’t focus anymore.

Marinette was out there in the blizzard. Marinette had not come back. Marinette hadn’t called on the Holo Caster either. Marinette was lost somewhere. His best friend was lost in the freezing cold. His best friend could die. His best friend could already be dead.

Adrien could only vaguely hear Jon trying to reach him as that thought entered his mind. Marinette could be dead. She could have succumbed to the cold already. She could be laying on the ground somewhere, the snow piling onto her dead body. They may never find her remains if the snow kept up.

It wasn’t until he felt a weight on his chest that Adrien broke free of his trance. His arms shot up to curl around the tiny body pressing against him, despite the weight only being slight. He blinked a few times before looking at the pokemon now resting in his arms.

It had a silver, wooden head, and it appeared like the rest of its body was made of darkness. Two little blue eyes gazed up at him with concern. Its little arms were holding onto his shirt, and it was cooing at him.

“Phaaaan phaaaaaan phaaaantump.”

“Back with us, kid?” a cautious voice asked.

Adrien’s attention snapped back to the intimidating man from earlier. He was bent over, no longer towering over him. His expression was gentle, one hand pressed against the back of the little pokemon. He no longer looked all that intimidating with the soft smile on his face.

“This is Carmen. She’s my Phantump. She really likes being held and cuddling. Do you think you could hold her for right now? My Hydreigon needs a lot of attention or it makes mischief,” he asked.

Adrien nodded, noting how the Phantump curled up in his arms. She gave him a smile before snuggling into his chest. A tug on his sleeve, directed his attention to Benoit and Regis. Both his Braxien and Pyroar looked incredibly upset. The pokemon had grown worried when Adrien stopped reacting to both them and Jon.

Jon smiled at him in relief before gently patting him on the shoulder.  
“Adrien? This is my friend, Jason Todd. He’s Damian’s older brother, and even though he looks tough, he’s got a major soft spot,” Jon introduced. “Jase, this is Adrien Agreste. We met at Couriway Town, and we decided to travel together.”

“Nice to meet you, kid,” Jason said. “Jon hasn’t been giving you trouble has he? Krypto can be a handful after all.”

Adrien let out a shy chuckle before replying, “If anything, I’ve been the one giving him trouble. My Liepard, Mariel, started a fight with Krypto the second they walked into the Pokemon Center. I was just relieved he didn’t hate me.”

“Nah, it wasn’t your fault. Krypto’s always itching for a fight. Mariel was just willing to give him one,” Jon reassured. “Why don’t we all wait together? I’m sure they’re almost here, so why don’t we go sit down?”

Jason replied that it sounded like a great idea, and Adrien just nodded. He’d been drained by his panic attack, so sitting would do him some good. He let Jon lead him over to the empty spot Mercury had created with his presence. As Adrien sat down, he rested his head on Jon’s shoulder, feeling Benoit sit against next to him. Regis laid at his trainers feet, watching the others take a seat.

Things would be okay, he thought to himself. Marinette was strong. She was resourceful. She could do anything, so long as she put her mind to it. He had to trust that she’d be okay. She was going to be okay…

Right?  
************

Damian wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up.

He could see the lights up ahead, bright against the almost-dark sky. He knew he was close. He also knew he was close to his limit. His legs felt like jelly, every step painful and unsteady. The girl in his arms felt like a lead weight, even with her trying to hold onto him. His lungs burned from breathing in the cold air, yet he continued to press on. He had to save this girl.

She wasn’t answering his questions anymore, which fed into his fear that she had died in his arms. The only thing he could hear aside from the wind now was a squeaky sound coming from inside her jacket. She’d told him there was a pokemon in her jacket, but Damian didn’t know what kind. All she told him was that he had been hurt and lost, so she rescued him. She kept slurring about how she had to protect him so she could get him back to his trainer.

The world always needed people like her. People who did good for the sake of good. People who cared so much that they thought of everyone else before themselves were not as common as one would like to believe. When Damian had given her his gloves, she’d protested, saying he was going to get frostbite. Damian had given her his gloves because she was developing frostbite. On one hand, she probably couldn’t tell she was hurt. On the other hand, perhaps she did know and still protested.

“Might might tyena ty ena!”

Damian looked down at Bellatrix, who was still pressed firmly against his side. The Mightyena looked exhausted too, but was just as determined to press forward.

“Frog rog adier fro.”

On his other side was an unusual pokemon. It appeared to be a bipedal frog, with dark, navy head, and a baby blue body. It had a white scarf of bubbles around its neck and big yellow sclera with black irises. It was currently supporting Damian’s other side, and he saw that its eyes flickered from the path ahead to the girl in his arms every so often. He was led to assume that this strange pokemon was the girl’s, and was doing its best to help them get to shelter.

He had no idea how long they’d been walking together, but Damian felt a flicker of hope appear when he saw the Pokemon Center. He tried to hurry forward, wanting to make it in before the sun completely set. If it did, the center would be shuttered, and they’d be trapped outside...and the shutters were starting to close.

“No. No. No. No. No! We’re not going to make it!” he hissed, desperately trying to make his numb legs move faster.

Bellatrix howled, trying to get someone’s attention, anyone’s! They needed to know they were coming! She looked to her fellow pokemon, who had begun to hop as fast as it could through the snow. It was a valiant effort, but Bella knew the Frogadier wouldn’t be able to stop the shutters. Even if it did make it, it wouldn’t have enough strength as it was to hold the shutters.

Damian was thinking along the same lines...and then he witnessed something truly spectacular. As the Frogadier hopped, slipped, and got back up again and again, its body became enveloped in a blue light. By the time the pokemon was almost to the doors, it had grown several feet. It’s body blended in with the night sky, but stood out pitch black against the pale snow. It had something red wrapped around its neck, and fin-like extensions.

It had managed to grab the shutter and was holding it up. At the same time it was yelling, hoping to reach the people on the inside of the center. Damian and Bella had barely managed to reach the doors when Nurse Joy and her pokemon came to see what was going on.

He could hear the worried voices of the Blisseys and Chanceys as they swarmed around him. One took Bella and the new pokemon off to be treated for exposure. Damian himself had barely managed to pass the girl off to the Blissey before his world started to spin. He could vaguely hear Nurse Joy shouting and another Blissey moving to grab him.

Then everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokemon mentioned in this chapter:  
Mercury- Jason's Hydreigon  
Demi/Woobat- Damian's Woobat  
Krypto- Jon's Charmeleon  
Carmen- Jason's shiny Phantump  
Benoit- Adrien's Braxien  
Regis- Adrien's Pyroar  
Mariel- Adrien's Liepard  
Bellatrix- Jason's Mightyena  
Frogadier- Marinette's pokemon


	5. Awake at Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wakes up and reunites with Adrien. Damian thinks back to what occurred before reaching the Pokemon Center.

Slate grey eyes opened, dazed and confused.

She was warm now, oh so nice and warm. Her body was still painfully sore, the pins and needles sensation still in her arms and legs. She let out a groan, still too weak to do much else, attracting the attention of a big pink figure.

“Blissey! Bliss bli bliss sey!” the egg-shaped pokemon said with a big smile.

Marinette’s mind was too hazy to realize that she was in the Pokemon center until a familiar face appeared. The pink haired woman smiled with a relieved expression as she came to check her over.

“Thank goodness, you’re all right! We were worried about you, especially your pokemon. What were you doing out during a blizzard anyway, young lady?” she said, adjusting the blankets to ensure they were still wrapped tightly around her.

“...Nurse Joy?”

The pinkette hummed in confirmation as she began to ask if Marinette still felt cold. When Marinette responded no, Nurse Joy then asked if she would be able to drink something warm. Marinette nodded slowly, but rasped that she might not be able to hold it just yet. The nurse reassured her that she would hold the cup while Marinette drank.

After drinking some tea, Marinette felt a little more alert. While she still couldn’t move her body without it aching, she could now make out her surroundings. She was most definitely in a room at the Pokemon center, and there was a Blissey standing by her bedside. It looked almost relieved to see her awake, and she gave it a smile. It must have been with her since she got there...how did she get here?

“Nurse Joy? How did I get to the Pokemon Center?” she asked slowly, trying to go through her memories. “Last thing I remember I was carrying a Woo-DEMI! Where is Demi! Is he okay? Did the frost get him-”

“Whoa, whoa! It’s okay! Your Woobat is perfectly fine! It’s currently resting with your other pokemon. As for how you got here, a young man found you and brought you here about three days ago.”

Three days.

Marinette had lost three days. She’d been asleep for three days. She was lucky she wasn’t dead. She was lucky that none of the pokemon were hurt or worse. She was lucky that someone had found her by chance. She was lucky, very, very lucky.

Tears began to well-up in her eyes as she thought about everything she could have missed. Was Adrien in Snowbelle? Had he had his match with the gym leader? Had he won? Was Lila and Alya still around? Had they been able to pounce on Adrien while she was gone? What about Demi’s trainer? Had Demi’s trainer even made it out of the woods?

A gentle brush against her forehead grabbed her attention from her darker thoughts. She spotted Ames sitting on her lap, his ribbons reaching out to her. The Sylveon pushed emotions of love, relief, fear, and happiness into Marinette as he wrapped his ribbons around her. Beau hopped onto her lap next, nuzzling her excitedly. It cuddled into the left side of her neck, chirping happily.

A small flower fairy came bobbing in next followed by a red and black insect. Marinette smiled as the little fairy rested atop her head. The ledian took its place on Marinette’s left side by her hip. Both pokemon began chattering at Marinette, rubbing against her. She weakly raised a hand to pet her ledian on the head.

“I’m sorry Petit, Cocinella,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I just didn’t want you to get cold.”

The Flabébé pet Marinette’s hair while cooing while her Ledian crossed it’s little arms. Neither pokemon appreciated being told not to leave their balls, but they understood why. It was too cold for either pokemon in this city, so they’d chosen to listen to their trainer, despite not liking it. They were just relieved that Marinette was okay.

A small purple bat flew over to rest by her right shoulder, squealing in delight.

“Remi! Oh my little baby bat! I’m so sorry!” Marinette cooed as she rubbed her cheek against the Noibat. “Where’s Heracule? Is he alright?”

“Oh don’t worry! He’s perfectly alright. In fact, you may be in for a surprise, Miss!” Nurse Joy said, startling Marinette.

She’d been so distracted by the presence of her pokemon that she’d forgotten that her nurse was there. Just as Marinette moved try and sit up, her door swung open. She let out a gasp as she saw her pokemon walk in, holding a small blue ball of fuzz. He was taller now, with dark black skin and a red tongue wrapped around its neck. He had large black fins protruding from its head with bright blue membrane stretching across the fins. He had white patches over his eyes, as well as on his forearms and and below the knee. His eyes were red, and lit up with joy and delight.  
“H-H-Heracule? You-you evolved!”

Nurse Joy laughed and left the room. She had some people to update on her patient’s condition.

Marinette couldn’t believe it. Her beloved Frogadier had evolved into a Greninja. She couldn’t believe it! She was also a little sore that she’d missed it. It must have happened while she was unconscious. She was distracted from her disappointment of not seeing Heracule evolve by the tiny little ball of fluff. He nuzzled into her chest, chirping excitedly.

“Woo woo oob ba bat bat ooba!”

Marinette laughed as her arms reached up to cuddle the Woobat against her.

“I’m so happy you’re alright, Demi! I was so worried about you!”

Her pokemon arranged themselves so that they could cuddle with Marinette while still keeping her warm. Heracule was just happy to see his trainer awake and feeling okay. He sat on the side of the bed as the others huddled around her, waiting for the inevitable reunion. He smiled as he watched the door fly open, a blond boy bursting into the room.

“MARINETTE!”

“Adrien! You finally made it to Snowbelle-”

She was interrupted by the blond flinging himself into her arms, disgruntling her pokemon. She saw Benoit and Regis walk in behind him, Benoit shutting the door. Several flashes of light and several other pokemon appeared.

A little pink and cream colored kitten appeared, hopping into Benoit’s arms, while a cream colored feline with a red gem in the middle of its forehead rested it’s upper body on her bed. A purple and yellow feline with pink facial markings around it’s green eyes, hopped up onto Heracule’s lap, purring loudly with a delighted expression on its face. Last but not least, a little grey furred feline-esque creature with white tipped ears and limbs. Its big purple eyes were looking at Marinette with a little smile as it used it’s psychic powers to levitate above her bed.

“I’m so glad you’re okay! I was so scared. You were asleep for so long!” Adrien cried, still holding Marinette. “I was so scared I was going to lose you too! When Damian brought you back you were so cold and lifeless!”

His pokemon chimed in in agreement. They had all been worried about Marinette as well. She was a good friend of theirs as well as their trainers. They didn’t know what they would do, if something had happened to her.

“Oh, Adrien...I’m so sorry. Do you want to come sit down with me? You can sit across from Heracule...and who is Damian?” Marinette said. “And all of you, Benoit, Regis, Esme, Emilie, and Yves, you can come sit with us as well. Mariel, be nice to Heracule or I’ll give him permission to kick you off his lap.”

“THAT’S HERACULE?!” Adrien gasped, finally noticing the Greninja on the bed with his Liepard. “He evolved!”

This made Marinette frown. How did Adrien not know about Heracule? Wasn’t he there to see him evolve? Just what had happened over the last three days?  
*******************  
Outside the room, Damian was waiting impatiently with Jon beside him. He’d managed to shake off his brothers with the help of his father after Nurse Joy came to tell him the girl had finally woken up. He was tapping his foot and shifting from side-to-side hating this anxious feeling that was gnawing at his stomach. He really wanted to see her. He needed to see her. He needed to make sure she was okay.

Jon said nothing and just kept a firm hand on his best friend’s shoulder. The blue eyed boy was honestly surprised. He hadn’t seen Damian this keyed up since the last time Tim got roughed up. He tried to get Damian to relax, but nothing, not even Mahir could get him through to him.

“Why do we have to wait!”

“Because he’s her friend, Damian. He was really worried about her,” Jon sighed. “They’re like siblings, so please just give them a minute.”

Damian let out a sigh before slumping against the wall.

“Why are you so worried about her?” Jon inquired. “You don’t even know Marinette.”

“...you weren’t there…”

Damian shut his eyes and took a deep breath, thinking back to when he’d found her.

_Her eyes were only half open, and she was shivering violently. The tips of her fingers had begun to change color, making his heart clench. She was curled around something, and Damian could faintly hear the sound of squeaking, probably her pokemon. Her dark hair stood out brilliantly against the white snow, her pale skin almost blending in. If it weren’t for her pink jacket, Damian would have missed her entirely._

_He grabbed her shoulder and shook hard._

_“Hey! Hey! Can you hear me?”_

_“...no...Hera...stay in...your ball...don’t...come out…”_

_Damian looked at Bella, who in returned just looked back just as confused as he felt. He gently rolled her onto her back, feeling his anxiety increase. Her slate grey eyes were unfocused, but it was clear to him that she was desperately trying to stay awake. He carefully slid his arms underneath her neck and legs, pulling her into his arms. He watched as those glassy eyes shifted to his face. Damian began to walk, feeling Bella press up against his side._

_“...who?” she croaked weakly._

_“My name is Damian. Don’t worry, I’m here to help.”_

_“...gotta protect him....”_

_“Protect who?”_

_“...pokemon...lost...need to help him...help him get home…back to his trainer..."_

_“Okay, well let me help you so you can help the pokemon. That sound good?”_

_A breath-taking smile appeared on those pale lips, and Damian felt his heart skip a beat. Her expression was so warm, so sweet. Damian wanted to keep that look on her face...that look of trust...that look of safety._

_“...yeah…’m ‘nette…” she slurred, Damian not quite understanding what she was saying._

_They continued to talk as he struggled through the snow. He asked her questions about herself, like what her favorite color was, was she a pokemon trainer, and did she live around Snowbelle? The longer he kept her conscious and talking, the better. Listening to her speak helped calm him and keep him centered. He had to strain to hear her over the wind which kept his mind occupied at all times._

_He’d been walking for what he believed to be an hour when suddenly a pokemon popped out of its pokeball. It was a frog-like pokemon, and it immediately went to brace his other side, keeping him from falling over. The frog and Bella helped him keep his balance until he could stop. Then, hours later he watched as the pokemon darted off, evolving in order to save their lives before passing out._

_When he’d awoke next, he was greeted by his brother, Jason standing over him. Jon was next to him, as was a strange blond Damian had never met...who was also holding Jason’s phantump? He looked around the room in a panic, realizing the girl wasn’t here with him. He threw his blankets aside and went to rush out when he was stopped by Mahir, who was now out of his pokeball._

_Looking down, he saw not only Mahir but the majority of his team. A yellow and red pokemon came racing over to him, grabbing onto his leg tight. A little black and red fox pokemon also bounded over to him, making excited noises as she came closer. A sleek black pokemon with blue rings also approached him as well and the trio did their best to nudge Damian back towards the bed._

_“Adila, Farah, Isra! What are you all doing?”_

_“Well you did nearly freeze demon spawn, so give the little guys a break. They want to make sure you’re okay,” Jason snarked. “Be prepared, once Nurse Joy is done with Bella, she’s going to want to see you.”_

_“What happened? How long have I been out?” Damian snapped back._

_How long had she been gone from his side?_

_“You’ve been out for about half a day,” Jon supplied helpfully. “Marinette’s still asleep though, so you’ll have to wait to see her. They say if it hadn’t been for you, she probably would have died.”_

_“Marinette?”_

_“My friend,” the blond piped up. “The girl you rescued is my friend, Marinette. Thank you for finding her. My name is Adrien Agreste.”_

_Marinette...pretty name, Damian thought to himself. She was still asleep? Was she going to be okay? He looked at Jason before asking, “Can I see her?”_

_To Damian’s displeasure, Jason looked rather shocked at that he’d asked. Once he’d recovered, he told Damian that he wouldn’t be able to see her until she woke up. Nurse Joy wanted to make sure that Marinette’s care was not interrupted to better ensure her chance of survival. No one, not even Adrien was allowed to see her until she was up and Nurse Joy had looked over Marinette._

_Damian didn’t want to accept this, but he figured he had too. He remembered the feeling of her in his arms. He remembered how hard she was shaking when he first held her...how the shivering had almost stopped by the time they reached the center. He remembered how pale and waxy her skin had looked in the fading sunlight. He remembered the terror that flooded his veins when she closed her pretty grey eyes._

_She had needed help, and she was now receiving it. Damian had to be satisfied with that for now...even if he desperately needed to see light in those blue eyes before he’d be able to sleep peacefully again._

Damian’s eyes snapped back open when he felt a strong pressure on his shoulder.

“Damian...are you okay?”

When he looked up, he was shocked to see that his father was looking down at him. Bruce had arrived while Damian was lost in his memories. He’d greeted both boys, but when only Jon responded, he became concerned with his youngest son. His blue eyes were filled with concern, and his expression was rather soft.

Damian was about to say something when Adrien stepped out of the room.

“Marinette’s still up, and she wants to meet you, Damian.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of pokemon in this chapter so I apologize!
> 
> Marinette's team:  
Heracule- Greninja  
Ames- Sylveon  
Petit- Flabebe  
Remi- Noibat  
Concinella- Ledian  
Beau- Dedenne
> 
> Adrien's team:  
Benoit- Braxien  
Regis- Pyroar  
Esme- Skitty  
Emilie- Persian  
Yves- Espurr  
Mariel- Liepard
> 
> Damian's team:  
Demi the Woobat (still with Mari)  
Mahir- Pawniard  
Adila- Meinfoo  
Farah- Zorua  
Isra- Umbreon
> 
> Jason's Phantump Carmen is referenced in flashback


	6. At Last We Meet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette and Damian finally meet. The pair learn some things. Bruce is a concerned Dad. Adrien and Jon have a short conversation about themselves.

Damian opened the door slowly, not wanting to startle the young woman on the other side. He walked in slowly, only to stop not even a foot away from the door. 

The teen sitting in the bed before him was gorgeous. Her silky looking black hair was untied, falling freely along her shoulders. Her skin was a delightful pale peach color, healthy and full of life. Those slate grey eyes that had caught his attention before were open and gazing lovingly down at two small pokemon in her arms.

One of them was a purple bat with large ears. The other….

Damian felt his breath catch in his chest.

_ “...I know this is probably not the best time to point this out, but did you find Woobat?” _

_ He felt like someone had violently punched him in the gut. His reasoning for being out in the storm suddenly came back and hit him like a freight train. His Woobat. His Woobat had been out in the storm. He had gone to look for his Woobat so it wouldn’t freeze to death. _

_ He hadn’t found his Woobat. _

_ Damian threw off the covers in a panic, jumping up and darting towards the door. He threw it open, only to be stopped by a pair of solid arms. He thrashed about, screaming at the top of his lungs about how he needed to go back out there. He needed to find his Woobat. He needed to find his Woobat. He needed to find the poor thing! It was bad enough he hadn’t found it before the storm, but if he didn’t find the Woobat now he would surely die! _

_ “Damian! Damian, you need to stop! You can’t go out there!” a stern baritone voice rang out. _

_ Damian looked up to see his father holding him tight. He continued to try and fight his father, screaming about his pokemon. He could see his two other older brothers, Dick with his sky blue eyes full of worry and Tim with his own baby blues full of pity. The two looked extremely uncomfortable, Tim going over to stand by Jason. _

_ Bruce held him until he calmed down, his cries being reduced to pained hiccups. His father held him close and gently rubbed his back, trying to get him to relax. Damian couldn’t however. His Woobat was still out there. He still needed to find it. _

_ The next morning, Damian tried the same thing again. It was Dick this time who had held him. _

_ “I’m sorry, little wing, but it’s been storming the last two days. I don’t think Woobat...I don’t think you’re going to find him.” _

_ Damian had screamed at that, telling Dick he knew nothing about his pokemon. He knew nothing about the little Woobat. He could have found shelter or found some other pokemon to help him! He could still be out there! He continued screaming those words until he himself couldn’t quite believe them any longer. _

_ Tim just stood off to the side, shaking his head sadly. Even if he and Damian didn’t always get along, he knew just how much Damian cared about the little Woobat. It was the first egg he’d ever received. That Woobat was the first pokemon he’d ever hatched from an egg, and Tim knew that was a special bond. His heart ached to see Damian so despondent as he laid in Dick’s arms. _

_ As he was held in Dick’s arms, he tried to shove his feelings down as hard as he could. Everything still ached though. The pain of his failure tore at his lungs and made him want to shriek even louder. But screaming wouldn’t do anything. Screaming wouldn’t bring his Woobat back. _

_ The third day, Damian tried to block his pain by focusing on Marinette. She was still alive. Adrien would have been an absolute wreck if the dark haired girl had died, so he was rather certain that she was probably going to pull through. At least he’d managed to do something right. At least he’d managed to save one being from the snow- _

A sharp gasp drew his attention away from his dark thoughts. 

“Are you alright? You’re crying,” a soft and sweet voice spoke. “Are you Damian?”

Damian looked at the girl, Marinette, who was now looking at him. Worry and compassion shone in those big grey eyes of hers. She looked ready to get out of her bed until Damian rushed to stop her.

“Yes, I am Damian. Are those all your pokemon?” he asked, quickly wiping his tears away. “That’s a very cute Woobat.”

Marinette’s expression was sheepish as she shook her head. Her face flushed a bit more before she quietly admitted, “Demi isn’t my Woobat. I found him.”

“...you found him?”

“Yes, I did. I was upset, so I took a walk in the woods. I came across him, squeaking and injured in a bush. It was odd because he had what appeared to be burn marks on his wings. I’m not aware of any fire type pokemon that are native or would be passing through that could have hurt him,” Marinette hummed, gently running a finger across the Woobat’s fuzzy head. “I gave him a super potion, so his injuries were taken care of. I’m just glad he’s okay.”

Damian froze, trying to squash down a feeling of hope that was inching into his heart.

“See, he already has a trainer. I just gave him a nickname for my use. I feel like calling pokemon by their name is a little impersonal,” she continued, “I was planning on giving him back to his trainer once I managed to locate them...except...well...you know.”

“You got caught in the storm?” Damian finished for her, still feeling hope trying to claw at his chest.

Marinette nodded before gently tickling the Woobat’s tummy. Demi stirred, squeaking tiredly before cooing at Marinette. The little bat nuzzled into her chest, continuing to coo and chirp while trying to go back to sleep.

“So the Woobat already has a trainer-”

“WOOBAT!”

Before Damian could finish his question to Marinette, the little pokemon flew at Damian full speed. He perched himself on top of Damian’s head, nuzzling into his hair. Damian’s eyes went wide as he felt his heart skip a beat.

Marinette’s head tilted to the side as she looked at the display. She looked to Heracule who was just smiling at the pair. She felt the weight of the bed shift once more, and her Sylveon hopped off the bed. She watched as Ames made his way over to Damian, wrapping a tendril around his arm. He then started to tear up, reaching up to put his hand on the little bat.

“Woobat! Woobat, I’m so sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t protect you better! I’m sorry I couldn’t find you! I’m so sorry!” he croaked. “I’m so sorry.”

Ames released Damian’s arm and watched as Demi flew into Damian’s now cupped hands. He held his Woobat, feeling an insurmountable rush of joy and love. He held the little bat close allowing the Woobat’s wings to gently touch his face.

His Woobat was alive!

**************

Marinette hadn’t heard him come in.

Adrien had told her the boy who saved her life was still at the Pokemon Center. Apparently his new friend, a boy from Unova called Jon, was also friends with her rescuer, so Adrien had spoken with him. The boy named Damian had refused to leave the center, even after he was well to see if she was going to be alright. It touched Marinette that this stranger was so worried about her. That’s when she decided that she wanted to meet him as soon as possible. She had to thank him after all. Without him, Marinette would have frozen to death.

“All right Mari, I’ll check and see if he’s still waiting outside,” Adrien replied. “I know his brothers were trying to get him to rest.”

And so Marinette waited, snuggling the two bat pokemon in her arms. Remi, her Noibat, was the youngest member of her party, and still very much a baby. As was the little Woobat, who was content to snuggle with her, falling asleep just as fast as her Noibat.

It wasn’t until a sharp sob caught Marinette’s attention that she looked up.

Standing there was one of the most handsome guys she had ever seen. He was a dark skinned boy with black hair and the most brilliant green eyes Marinette could recall seeing after Adrien’s. However, Adrien’s eyes were more of a grassy green while the newcomer’s eyes reminded her of jade stones. If she had to guess, she suspected he was probably a foot taller than her and well built...but that wasn’t what stuck out to her.

The tears were what caught her attention almost immediately. He was staring at the Woobat in her arms as if it were a beacon calling out to him. The longer he looked, the more upset he got. Marinette couldn’t stand to watch someone cry in front of her and called out to him.

He seemed to snap back to reality, wiping away the tears quickly before answering her question. This boy was indeed Damian, the one who’d saved her life. Marinette ended up blushing at his next question about the Woobat. She admitted that she’d found him injured in the woods and witnessed an incredible change in his demeanor.

Marinette was awed and stunned to watch Ames communicate with Damian...allowing him to realize that was his Woobat. She watched him apologize over and over to the fuzzy blue bat as he held him close. Marinette found her blush darkening as she watched how lovingly he looked at the little pokemon, finding Damian cuter and cuter by the moment. After all, what girl wouldn’t like a guy who cared so much about his pokemon.

Damian paused, looking at her with a bit of horror in his face. It was as if he’d forgotten she was here. Marinette figured he hadn’t meant to put on such an emotional display with her here, but she couldn’t blame him. Demi had been with her and her pokemon for the past three days. How was Damian to know Demi was unharmed?

He coughed, his cheeks darker now, and said, “I’m sorry...I’m sure you’d like to rest instead of watch me blubber-”

“Oh no! No, please! I don’t mind at all!” she blurted. “So you’re Demi’s trainer?”

Damian nodded before explaining just what had happened. He told her about how he and his brother had just been walking around the city when a girl approached them. He told her how she’d lied about having a Woobat so she could justify touching his, and how her friend’s Fennekin had hurt the little Woobat and scared it so bad he flew off to try and find somewhere safe to hide.

“Thank you for finding him...you called him Demi?”

Marinette’s panic flared. Oh no! Was he mad at her? Did he think the nickname was stupid? Was he angry that she had the gall to nickname his pokemon? There were so many things flooding through Marinette’s mind that she almost missed the question of ‘why’.

“...well, he’s tiny. He’s just a baby Woobat, but I don’t think he’ll get all that much bigger. So I called him Demi...you know...small,” she said shyly. “I’m sorry if you’re upset that I nicknamed your Woobat without asking you.”

Her stomach fluttered when he smiled at her.

“No, it’s fine. Demi, huh? Do you like it?” Damian asked the little pokemon now perched on his shoulder.

“Woo woo bat bat woo!” Demi replied happily.

“Demi it is then!” he laughed in response. “Thank you, Marinette. He hatched about six days ago, so I hadn’t named him yet before we got separated.”

“First egg?” Marinette asked with a smile. “I remember when Ames first hatched-oh! Ames is my Sylveon, by the way! My maman and papa had gotten his egg for me as a gift. It’s a little different then with your other pokemon, huh?

When Damian’s face turned shocked and slightly offended, Marinette raced to clear the air.

“Not to say that you don’t love your other pokemon dearly! It’s...it’s just different when you hatch them from an egg. You have to care and nurture the egg. You carry it around with you, you make sure it’s warm enough. It’s a lot of hands on care. Eventually...it feels a little more like they’re your baby, you know? They’ve never been in the wild. You might not be as worried if a formerly wild pokemon gets lost because they know how to take care of themselves until you can find them. Egg pokemon...not so much...so you feel more deeply responsible for ensuring their care and take anything that happens to them more personally. You know what I mean?”

The stunned look on his face told Marinette he did.

Her pokemon team knew that she loved them all with an intense fierceness. They also knew that any pokemon she hatched from an egg herself, she felt intensely responsible for. She’d loosened up a little with Ames, given he’s older than most of her team-save Heracule- and has learned how to care for himself. Her Noibat, on the other hand, she still babied heavily because it was young. While the older pokemon had been teacher Remi how to find food for herself in case something happened to Marinette, she still felt an overwhelming responsibility to make sure the little purple bat was okay.

“...I guess you’re right. I hadn’t thought about that,” Damian responded. “Do you mind if I sit beside you?”

Marinette shook her head, giving him a smile that made him melt on the inside. How could one girl be so cute?!

Heracule lifted Mariel-who was a little shit that refused to listen to Adrien and leave- and vacated his spot on the bed. The Greninja gestured to the now empty spot, a content look on his face. He was happy the little Woobat had found his trainer, and he was happy to see his trainer smiling so brightly.

Damian looked at Heracule, finally getting a good look at the pokemon.

“Is he a shiny pokemon?” he asked Marinette, sitting down on the bed.

“Mmhm, his name is Heracule. We’ve been partners for a while now,” she replied. “...I really want to thank you, Damian. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come across me. I want you to know I really appreciate everything you did and that you stayed to make sure I was okay. Adrien told me you could have left two days ago. I don’t know how to repay you.”

“There’s no need, Marinette. You’ve already paid me back in full by saving and protecting Demi,” Damian said softly. “I thought he was dead, frozen by the blizzard...hence my less than graceful reaction to finding out he was alive-”

“Eh, Ames may have amplified your feelings a little bit, so you didn’t doubt that Demi was really your Woobat,” Marinette broke in, her gorgeous face pinking once more. “I should talk to him about that.”

“Regardless, you were correct. Demi is the first egg I’ve hatched. Demi is the first pokemon I’ve ever really had to nurture, and it hurt thinking I’d lost him. Besides, saving you was a collaborative effort,” Damian shrugged.

“Collaborative?”

“Without my brother’s Mightyena I might not have made it to you. Without Heracule, we would most definitely froze. He was the one who made sure they didn’t shutter the Pokemon Center until we got there. He even evolved to make sure we got there.”

“So that’s how you evolved!” Marinette gasped, looking at Heracule. “You...you were trying to save us.”

“Gre nin nin greninja,” Heracule replied solemnly, looking between the two trainers.

“Oh, Heracule! Thank you,” she said, tears brimming in her eyes. “Thank you both.”

Damian smiled at the girl who seemed to radiate light from her very being and told her if he had to he would do it all over again.

*****************

Bruce was worried to say the least.

Damian had showed more emotion in the last few days then he’d ever done before. The boy had screamed, cried, and pleaded to be allowed to go find his pokemon. Perhaps their plan had worked a little too well? After all, that was why they’d all agreed to get Damian a pokemon egg, to teach him how to care and nurture something that was weak and fragile. Bruce had wanted him to learn how to care for something that couldn’t care for itself and to feel empathy for it, not disgust.

It seemed to have worked excellently.

It had been at least thirty minutes since Damian had entered the girl’s room. He’d heard muffled crying that had worried him, but Dick had stopped him from going into the room. He told Bruce that whatever was going on needed to happen, and soon enough the crying stopped.

But Damian still hadn’t come back out of the room.

“Relax, Bruce,” his eldest tried to soothe. “Damian’s probably just filling in the little lady on everything that happened while she was unconscious.”

“Yeah, Demon Spawn isn’t going to do anything to the poor girl,” Jason said, leaning against the wall.

Bruce clenched his jaw before closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

“Didn’t I ask the three of you to stay behind while this was happening?” he grumbled.

“You asked us not to disturb Damian,” Tim said from beside Dick. “We waited until he was in the room to come out.”

Bruce sighed. That was not the point! He knew Damian had been having a hard time with the loss of his Woobat. He knew Damian wanted to see the girl because he wouldn’t believe she was okay until he saw it with his own two eyes. Seeing the girl would make him feel a little bit better, but it wouldn’t heal the wound that losing his Woobat had left. While he knew his boys all cared about each other, they did stress and poke fun at each other as well. Damian didn’t need that kind of stress at the moment.

Adrien went to speak, but Jon just shook his head, pulling the blond against his chest. Adrien cuddled into his side, resting his head against the black haired boy’s shoulder. He smiled as he felt Jon’s cheek rest on his head. The two boys were still worried about their friends, but figured they needed time to discuss just what had happened...which made Adrien think of things he still needed to discuss with Jon.

“...so what are we?” Adrien whispered to Jon quietly. “...are we..”

“Whatever you want us to be,” Jon replied just as softly. “I won’t rush you into putting a label on it. We can be friends...or more, so long as you’re comfortable.”

Adrien smiled, tears in his eyes. He was thankful, so very thankful that Jon wasn’t the pushy sort. He hadn’t talked to Jon much about his father just yet, but had told him a little bit about his experiences making him very anxious to be out. Marinette and Nino had really been the only two who were supportive of him his entire life. It was comforting to know that Jon was willing to wait for him.

Jon smiled back, hoping that one day he’d be able to introduce Adrien to his mother and Grandma Kent. He knew they were both going to love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pokemon in this chapter!
> 
> Demi the Woobat- Damian's  
Ames the Sylveon- Marinette's  
Remi the Noibat- Marinette's  
Heracule the Greninja- Marinette's  
Mariel the Liepard- Adrien's  
Jason's Mightyena is mentioned


	7. A New Adventure?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Batfam meets Marinette. Adrien gets a badge...and some stress. Jon is bae.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For now this will be the last chapter. I may add more, but it'll be a lot more sporadic. I won't drop the AU entirely, so don't worry! Life is just getting stressful and busy.

Bruce Wayne was not a man easily surprised, but he had to admit that the scene before him was a strange one.

When he walked into the room to check on Damian, he had not expected him to be sitting next to the young lady. The young girl was wrapped in her blankets still with Damian sitting on top of them. He noticed the young lady was also fast asleep, her head resting on Damian’s shoulders. He could see a small pokemon (Flabébé if he properly recalled) sitting atop the girl’s head, also resting. Two little bat pokemon were resting in her arms, one small blue and fuzzy, the other one purple with large ears.

A Dedenne was perched on Damian’s lower leg, dozing quietly, while a shiny Greninja sat in a chair next to the bed. A Sylveon and Damian’s shiny Umbreon, Isra, cuddled up on Damian’s lap. A Ledian had taken up residence on one of the young lady’s legs, napping as well. Damian’s Meinfoo, Adila, and his Zorua, Farah, were curled up at Damian’s side, sleepily looking between Damian and the girl.

On closer inspection, Bruce noticed that Mahir the Pawniard was actually sitting down beside the bed, next to the shiny Greninja. Caspian the Samurott was on the other side of the bed, near Damian, carefully watching his trainer. Only Caspian, Mahir, and the Greninja took note of his entrance. The Geninja made a move to stand up, but Mahir made a gesture towards him and he stopped. 

Damian still hadn’t noticed him yet, which was unusual. It appeared that he was watching the young lady while she rested, one arm wrapped around her. He looked more peaceful than he had the last few days, completely relaxed. Wanting to leave Damian as he was, Bruce went to back out of the doorway.

Sadly, his other children did not have the same idea.

Dick muscled in behind him before loudly awing at the sight before him...which of course made Damian jump. And as a result, it made Marinette and the pokemon around them jump, starling most of them awake. Which then resulted in Dick receiving a water shuriken to the gut, courtesy of the very pissed off Greninja.

This brought Tim and Jason into the room, both surprised to see Damian holding a startled looking Marinette close. They were also surprised to see the shiny Greninja towering over Dick, who was on the floor while Caspian and Mahir laughed. The little menagerie of pokemon who were on the bed were also glaring in their direction, and Bruce just looked exasperated.

“Dick, I was trying not to disturb them.”

“But they-ow- were so cute! What was that-ow- for anyway?”

“Heracule clearly didn’t appreciate you startling Marinette. After all, she is his trainer,” a cool, steely voice came from over by the bed.

Damian was now glaring in full force at his brothers, cold fury hidden behind those bright green eyes. He gently squeezed Marinette’s shoulder before apologizing for his brother’s actions. He also apologized to the pokemon that had been resting as well.

“Heracule, you can come back over here now. That’s just my stupid brother, Dick. The tall man in the suit is my father, and the other two are also my brothers. I’m sure you remember Jason. He was the one here when you brought us in,” Damian said with a lazy wave of his hand. “The other one is Tim.”

The Greninja walked back over to his previous seat and sat down, giving Dick the opportunity to stand back up. Bruce took this opportunity to introduce himself to the wide-eyed girl beside his son.

“I’m terribly sorry we startled you, miss. My name is Bruce Wayne. Damian is my son,” he began. “Dick, Jason, Tim, why don’t you introduce yourselves?”

Jason waved from where he was standing and said, “Heya, Pokepuff! Name’s Jason Todd.”

Marinette smiled at Jason before Tim greeted her, and lastly Dick.

“I”m sorry I scared you,” he said, rubbing his abdomen. “I just didn’t think Little D could be that cute and sweet. My name’s Richard Grayson, but please call me Dick.”

“Hello, I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Thank you for apologizing, but what do you mean by that?” she asked with a tilt of her head.

“Well, Pokepuff, Demon Spawn beside you isn’t exactly known for being all kind and sweet. He’s actually kind of a brat,” Jason replied. “So Dickie-bird, Timbits and I were quite surprised to see him take such good care of you. You must be some kind of angel!”

“Wooooobat! Woo woo woob bat bat!”

The four oldest members of the Wayne family froze as they saw a little Woobat leave Marinette’s arms to perch on top of Damian’s head. They waited quietly for the explosion that was surely going to happen. Damian had just lost his Woobat, and they knew he wasn’t handling it very well! Why did this girl have to have a Woobat too?

“I agree, Demi,” Damian responded. “Todd may have a point. Perhaps, she is indeed an angel.”

“Oh, don’t be silly!” Marinette squeaked, her face turning red. “I’m no angel.”

Damian and the Woobat looked at each other for a moment before he smiled and said, “Demi and I would like to disagree, Marinette. You are indeed an angel. After all, you did save Demi’s life.”

“I did what any good trainer would do! You don’t just leave wounded pokemon to suffer!” Marinette countered. “And besides, even if I did save your Woobat, neither of us would have survived if you hadn’t come. So I suppose if I’m an angel, then you are my knight in shining armor.”

“Wait a leppa berry-picking-minute! That’s your Woobat, Damien?!” Tim interrupted, earning a smack on the back of the head from Dick, who’s been cooing over their interactions. “I thought he froze to death!”

“Yes, and his name is Demi,” Damian informed Tim. “Marinette came across him while she was in the woods. That’s what distracted her from returning to the city before the storm came. As it turns out, Heracule has been taking care of Demi ever since we got back.”

The greninja nodded with a slight smile. Of course he’d taken care of Demi. Marinette would’ve been furious with him had he left the poor thing all by his lonesome. Besides, Heracule had plenty of practice thanks to Remi. Demi was a sweet little thing with jolly disposition. It was no hardship taking care of him.

Bruce was once again surprised, but it also explained why Damian was so comfortable with her. She had saved his Woobat. She looked rather sweet and from the sound of it very humble. Bruce was hesitant to point out that not everyone would pick up a wounded pokemon from the side of the road. If they did, they probably wouldn’t think about returning the pokemon to its owner, either. They might have just taken the pokemon for themself.

He had been so worried as to how Damian was going to react to the loss of his Woobat. Now it looked like, thanks to a girl with a smile like the sun, Damian wasn’t going to have to deal with that loss. Bruce had no idea how to thank her.

**************************

Marinette decided that she really liked Damian.

Nurse Joy had wanted her to stay for an extra two days to ensure she made a complete recovery, and Damian had stayed the entire time. He came to her room every day to visit, bringing his pokemon with him. They talked with one another about the regions they came from, the places they’d seen and the pokemon they’d met. He shared these details with her rather willingly, asking her questions about Lumiose City and what she did there.

“Oh! Maman and Papa own the Tom and Sabine’s Patisserie there! I grew up in the shop, but when my friends decided to go on their pokemon journeys, I decided to leave too. I really want to be a pokemon fashion designer and do contests,” Marinette replied.

“Really? I’ve heard that’s the best patisserie in all of Lumiose City. I’ll have to stop by there some time,” Damian said with a grin. “I’ll have to take you to Castelia City in Unova some time as well. I can show you around. It’s got a lovely beachfront.”

“I’d really like that, Damian,” Marinette said with a shy smile.

“Are you ready to get out of here?” he asked, holding out a hand to Marinette.

The black haired girl grabbed it with a smile and nodded. She’d collected her things and most of her pokemon were back in their balls except for Heracule. He was waiting by the door with Mahir and Demi. Marinette walked beside Damian, her expression happy as she looked around the lobby of the Pokemon Center.

Adrien had gone to challenge Wulfric earlier that day with Jon by his side. He figured Marinette would probably want to head somewhere warmer after her little misadventure, so he asked her if it was alright that he challenge the gym without her. Marinette agreed, not wanting to be out in the snow yet, and promised Adrien she’d be waiting for him when he got back.

Unbeknownst to her, this sparked a tiny bit of jealousy in Damian’s gut. He knew they were just friends, but he was jealous of how close they were. He was jealous of how Adrien could kiss the top of Marinette’s head without anyone blinking. He was jealous of how Adrien could hold her close without being under scrutiny. He was most jealous of how easy it was for Adrien to get one of Marinette’s breath-stealing smiles.

“...how do you know Adrien?”

“Oh, well...you see...He’s Gabriel Agreste’s son.”

Damian’s mind screeched to a halt. Gabriel Agreste? The Gabriel Agreste of Lumoise City? The Gabriel Agreste who Bruce lovingly referred to as ‘a soul-less bastard who doesn’t know the first thing about loving another person’. The one with the dead wife...who know that Damian thought about it, looked a lot like Adrien. Adrien...the son-

“...oh. You don’t have to tell me any more.”

Damian knew a little bit of that story, though how much of the story was fiction and how much was fact was still up for debate. He did know for a fact that Emilie Agreste had died when Adrien was about nine years old. He knew for a fact that once Emilie died, Adrien just about vanished from existence. He knew that scant handful of times either him or his brothers had seen hide or hair of the boy, he’d looked terrible. 

When they heard he’d run away from home, Bruce had responded with a “Good for him. I hope Gabriel never finds him.”

“I’ll only tell you this- his mother used to come into our patissiere all the time with Adrien. We were good friends until his mother passed. Then I was lucky if I was able to see him for a second. He’s been traveling with me for a few years now.”

“His father hasn’t tried to get him back?”

Damian noted how Marinette stiffened at that question. A ghost of a smile appeared on her face as she shook her head somberly.

“Oh, he tried...he tried for a long while....”

Seeing how distressed Marinette was getting, Heracule put his hand on his trainer’s shoulder and shot Damian a look. He simply nodded in reply, letting the Greninja know he wouldn’t press further for any more details. Instead he did something he was never quite comfortable with. He talked about himself.

“Reminds me a little bit of me and Jon, except for I didn’t meet Jon till I was ten. I grew up with my mother for the first ten years of my life...and then she left me with my father. Nasty surprise for him considering she never told him she was pregnant, but my father took me in anyway,” Damian began, feeling his heart twinge a little when he saw Marinette’s look of sympathy. “Jon’s dad and my father are best friends, even if Father won’t admit it. So he started hanging around me when his dad would come to see mine.”

“...how is Jon? Is he...well is he...I know he’s your friend, but is he a good person?”

Marinette was wringing her hands, clearly anxious. She looked away from him before mentioning that Jon seemed to be very fond of Adrien, and that she didn’t want him getting any more hurt than he already was. She wanted to believe Jon was a good person because he was Damian’s friend, but Adrien had been hurt enough by people he had believed in.

Damian laughed before gently taking Marinette by the shoulders and gazing into her blue eyes.

“Marinette, Jonathan Lane Kent is a sweet, outgoing farm boy from Mistralon City. Despite the fact that I was an absolute brat to him, he still stayed. He still chose to be my friend, even though I wasn’t the easiest to get along with after leaving my mother. He has a good heart, and he’s more than just compassionate, he’s sincere. You actually remind me a lot of Jon, Marinette. You’re both genuinely good people who want to help others,” he said. “Adrien will be fine.”

She cracked a watery smile. She gave Damian a quick hug before she heard someone else calling her name.

“MARINETTE! MARINETTE! I DID IT! MARINETTE, I DID IT! AND LOOK! LOOK AT BENOIT!”

Marinette turned her head to see her best friend racing towards her, smiling brightly with an amused dark haired boy trailing behind him. His bright green eyes were wide as he waved a hexagon shaped badge that slightly resembled a snowflake with a mountain in the middle. He was laughing like a gleeful little kid, and it made Marinette’s heart soar.

And then she watched as his expression melted into one of horror.

“Adrien! There you are! I was so worried about you! Did you get your gym badge yet? Let me see!” a sickly sweet and unpleasantly familiar voice came.

Marinette felt her hands curl into fists as she moved with purpose towards Adrien, trying to intercept the intruder. However, she hadn’t been fast enough, and a brunette with sausage tails on either side of her face grabbed Adrien in a tight hug.

Lila nuzzled into his shoulder before cooing happily.

“I’m so glad! See, I knew you’d win with or without that brat of a friend! Why don’t you give me a celebratory kiss? After all, I know you secretly love me. You just don’t want to risk your father’s ire if he knew we were together.”

“...no, no, no, no, please let me go! Let me go! I don’t want you to touch me! Please don’t!” he said, trying to rip himself out of her grip. “Lila, stop touching me!”

Marinette’s body froze in horror as Lila leaned in to attempt to kiss Adrien, feeling as though ice were dripping down her spine. But Lila never met her mark. Instead, the brunette found herself being lifted up by the back of her shirt.

“I believe Sunshine asked you not to touch him,” an oddly cheerful voice came.

Marinette saw Jon standing there with Lila suspended in the air. Adrien had slunk back away from were Lila had been, and Jon put her down onto the floor. A tall, red, orangish-yellow bipedal fox stood in front of the blond, an ignited stick pointed threateningly in Lila’s direction. Marinette let out a gasp when she realized that was Benoit! He must have evolved into a Delphox during Adrien’s gym battle!

Krypto stood tall next to his trainer, his arms crossed and looking absolutely furious. Jon on the other hand, looked terrifyingly happy, with a bright smile and well concealed fury behind those baby blue eyes of his. He stepped in front of the Delphox, keeping Adrien out of sight. 

“Hey! What’s the big idea! I just wanted to give my boyfriend a kiss!” Lila cried. “You didn’t have to grab me!”

“I disagree. I did have to grab you. You made that young man very uncomfortable, and I believe he asked you to let him go,” Jon said, rather sweetly. “Now, why don’t you please leave? You are making everyone rather uncomfortable.”

“I am not! Let me see my boyfriend!” she screeched angrily.

“You’re not his girlfriend! You know he doesn’t like you! You make him uncomfortable!” Marinette snapped. “Leave him be!”

“He’s my boyfriend! You’re just jealous because he’s not yours!” Lila screamed, trying to move towards Adrien.

Jon put out one hand, grabbing Lila’s shoulder.

“Now I’m only going to tell you this one more time. He’s not your boyfriend. He’s mine. You need to leave or I’ll have Krypto here roast you and your little Bulbasaur.”

Lila’s face paled, but she backed up slowly. It took her a few times to process the words, but when they finally did, it was not pretty. Her face darkened into a deep red, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Her fists were balled up and she almost charged at Jon, screaming that he was a liar and that NO ONE was going to take her Adrien away from her!

“Benoit! Use psychic!” Adrien shouted, terrified of another fight breaking out.

“Del, del, pho, delphox!” Benoit growled, his eyes lighting up.

Lila was lifted off the ground as Damian moved to call Officer Jenny, leaving Mahir near Marinette.

“Keep it up, Benoit!” Marinette chimed. “We’ll take care of Adrien.”

The Delphox nodded, eyes never leaving the brunette.

Krypto trudged over and grabbed Adrien’s hand.

“Char char mel melon char,” he said.

He pulled him over to where Marinette was standing, letting the dark haired girl hug the blond tightly. Krypto, with the help of Heracule and Mahir, herded Marinette and Adrien towards the door, not wanting them to be anywhere near Lila. The group of Pokemon stood guard while Lila thrashed in Benoit’s hold.

“BULBASAUR! HELP ME!” Lila shrieked, trying to call her pokemon.

“Lila! Don’t worry, I’ll help you! Fennekin, use ember!” another voice joined in.

Alya and her little Fennekin joined in, but much to their surprise the ember was stopped by a powerful hydro pump. They were all shocked to see a large navy sea lion-like pokemon join the fray. It had large whiskers, a sharp shell helmet and sharp shells on its arms and legs.

“Sam sam rot samu samurott!” it growled, taking a place beside Benoit.

“Unless you wish to battle Caspian, Glasses, I suggest you back down,” Damian growled, “Officer Jenny is on her way.”

The other trainers in the building did not try to interfere, instead they just stood and watched, anxiously waiting for the police. Lila did not go quietly, but thankfully Alya didn’t try to pit her Fennekin against a fully evolved Samurott. Jon and Damian rejoined Marinette and Adrien, both boys going over to their particular crush.

Adrien wasn’t panicking any more, but he was scarlet in the face as he looked up timidly at Jon. He allowed the dark haired boy to pull him into a hug and kiss him on the forehead. Adrien wrapped his arms around Jon’s waist, holding on tight. He needed to be held. He needed to feel safe. He needed it so badly. He was so overwhelmed. He just wanted to feel safe. Was that so bad?

Jon said nothing, just held the blond close. He gently rubbed the boy’s back, letting him cry into his shoulder. He needed to protect him. He was such a sweet kid and didn’t deserve to be treated in such a way. Jon began to hum quietly, rocking them both slightly as Adrien continued to cry in his arms.

Adrien gave Jon a watery smile as soon as he lifted up his head. Grass green eyes locked onto baby blue eyes as the blond timidly sniffed, "So I'm your boyfriend, huh?"

Jon nuzzled his cheek and said, "If it pleases you, Sunshine."

"...I think that could be agreeable..."

Damian and Marinette just shared a look before he offered her his arm. She took it gleefully and smiled as Damian began to introduce her to his starter pokemon, Caspian the Samurott. She gently pet the Samurott, delighting in meeting a new type of pokemon. In return, Caspian nuzzled Marinette until she was calm as well.

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other, finally calm and shared a grin. The pair turned to look at both dark haired boys with matching Cheshire grins.

“...It’s been a while since I’ve been to Lumiose City,” Adrien said. “And I really want to get some croissants from the Tom and Sabine Patissiere."

“And I haven’t seen my parents in a while as well,” Marinette added. “So we were wondering...would you boys like to come with us to Lumiose City?"

Jon perked up like a little Lilipup and nodded. Damian shrugged noncommittally before replying that he’d have to ask his father. But the sly smile on his face told Marinette that Damian would be joining them...whether his father Bruce knew it or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mari-  
Hercule- Greninja  
Ames- Sylveon  
Petit-Flabebe  
Beua-Dedenne  
Remi- Noibat  
Cocinella- Ledian
> 
> Damian-  
Caspian- Samurott  
Mahir- Pawniard  
Adila- Mienfoo  
Farah- Zorua  
Isra-Umbreon  
Demi- Woobat
> 
> Adrien-  
Benoit- Delphox
> 
> Jon-  
Krypto- Charmeleon
> 
> Alya-  
Unnamed Fennekin


End file.
